Not feeling it this Christmas?

Christmas is a wonderful time of year full of festive cheer, bringing families, friends and couples together

to celebrate joy and love. Were invited into Christmas markets full of indulgent foods and sweet treats,

along with the magical atmosphere provided by the twinkly lights and array of stalls. Beyond the

festivities Christmas time offers a chance to reflect on the year, whether that be our achievements,

highs or lows.

All sounds wonderful, right? What if this isn’t how you feel at Christmas? Feeling lonely at Christmas can

be especially difficult. For those without close connections the contrast can intensify those feelings of

isolation, sadness or longing for meaningful relationships. Loneliness during this time may come from a

previous loss, a distance between loved ones or a longing for connection.

It’s important to understand these feelings are valid and shared by many others during this season.

Finding ways to care for yourself during this time is vital to ease the weight of loneliness and create new

traditions and bring moments of comfort and connection.

- Connect with others: The festive season is an ideal time to nurture connections, either by

reaching out to a friend, joining community events, or simply sharing meaningful moments with

those around you. Volunteering with a charitable organisation can also bring a deep sense of

purpose and meaning, as giving back not only helps others but can also uplift your own spirits.

Community events, such as carol singing, festive markets, or group activities, offer opportunities

to meet new people and foster a sense of belonging. Checking your local area for events is a

great way to discover ways to connect, celebrate, and create meaningful memories during this

holiday season.

- Be aware of your feelings: Being aware of your feelings at Christmas is important because the

season can bring a mix of emotions—joy, excitement, nostalgia, or even sadness and stress. By

acknowledging how you feel, you give yourself permission to process emotions rather than

suppress them, which can prevent overwhelm. Self-awareness helps you identify your needs

and set boundaries, allowing you to navigate the holidays in a way that feels authentic and

manageable. It also fosters greater empathy for yourself and others, helping you respond with

kindness during moments of tension or vulnerability. Christmas can be a meaningful time, but

staying in tune with your emotions ensures that it aligns with what truly matters to you.

- Keep a routine: Maintaining structure in your routine during Christmas is important because it

helps balance the excitement and demands of the season with your well-being. A consistent

routine provides a sense of stability amidst the festive chaos, reducing stress and preventing

overwhelm. It ensures you prioritize self-care, such as eating well, staying active, and getting

enough rest, so you can fully enjoy the celebrations without feeling drained. Structure also helps

maintain focus on your personal goals and needs, allowing you to navigate the season with a

sense of control and balance.

- Do things you enjoy: Treat yourself to something you like. Buying yourself a gift can be a good

way make yourself feel good. Engaging in activities you enjoy can be a powerful way to boost

your mood and prioritise your wellbeing, especially during busy or challenging times. Treating

yourself to something you love—whether it’s a favourite hobby, a relaxing experience, or even

buying yourself a thoughtful gift—can reinforce self-worth and bring moments of happiness.

These small acts of kindness toward yourself help create positive emotions and a sense of self-

care, reminding you that your happiness matters. Taking time to indulge in what makes you feel

good can recharge your energy and uplift your spirit, creating a ripple effect of positivity in your

daily life.

- Use social media wisely:  Be mindful of how you interact with social media, especially during

times when it’s flooded with idealised images and holiday highlights. While it can be a great tool

for staying connected, it can also trigger comparisons, feelings of inadequacy and highten the

feelings of loneliness. Set boundaries around your usage—limit screen time, unfollow accounts

that don’t make you feel good, and prioritise content that uplifts or inspires you. Focus on

authentic connections by engaging with supportive communities or reaching out to loved ones.

Remember, social media is a curated highlight reel, and your worth isn’t defined by what you

see online. Use it in a way that supports your mental wellbeing and enriches your life. Also, post

the things you’re doing at Christmas, you never know this may spark conversations with people

who maybe in a similar situation to you.

- Go outside: Being in nature during the Christmas period is vital for mental well-being, as it

provides a refreshing escape from the often hectic indoor festivities. Fresh air and natural light

help boost mood by increasing serotonin levels, while gentle movement, like a walk, reduces

stress and anxiety. Spending time in nature encourages mindfulness, offering a chance to pause,

reflect, and appreciate the beauty of the season—whether it’s crisp winter air, sparkling frost, or

festive decorations. This connection with nature can help combat feelings of overwhelm or

loneliness, fostering a sense of calm and rejuvenation during the busy holiday period.

You can read my blog post on Dwell Devons website.

https://dwell-devon.co.uk/journal/lonely-this-christmas

Wellness Workshop

We did it!

Myself and Lauren met for coffee and cake early in October to discuss ideas for collaborations utilising both our skillsets. The Wellness Workshop was created to bring people a holistic approach to wellbeing. With both physical and mental aspects, the workshop offered an approach that combined movement and mindfulness to empower participants to feel balanced, refreshed, and inspired.

The day ran smoothly! I am still in shock that nothing went wrong to be honest. The weather was perfect, sunshine with calm seas, the venue was set up with the fire on and the staff were prepared for our coffee break.

We began the day with Pilates, delivered by Lauren. This session focused on building core strength, improving flexibility, and encouraging mindful movement, leaving everyone feeling more in tune with their bodies. Following this, was a 90-minute coaching session that explored the theme of resilience and strength. Through interactive discussions and exercises, we dived into ways to foster positive emotions, deepen meaningful relationships, and find clarity in our goals, leaving participants with actionable insights to apply in their daily lives.

To round off the morning, a well-deserved coffee break! Conversations flowed and connections blossomed. For those feeling adventurous, an optional sea swim offered a refreshing and invigorating finish to the day, providing a unique way to embrace the moment and step outside of comfort zones.

This workshop wasn’t just about fitness or reflection—it was about integrating the two to create a sense of balance and empowerment. Whether it was the joy of movement, the power of shared goals, or simply the chance to take a breath amidst life’s chaos, the day was a reminder that investing in yourself is always worth it.

Stay tuned for future workshops—your journey to flourishing starts here. 🌿

Winter Swimming

The cold water hits different in the winter! The shorter days means morning swimming always coincides with sunrise and it’s such a delight.

Thursday mornings are my favourite of the week. I don’t work on a Thursday so I can have a day in the week to have a slower morning and do things I enjoy doing. It also breaks up my week nicely if I am working at the weekend.

I wake up an hour later at 6am, roll out of bed and put on my swimming costume and lots of warm layers. I boil the kettle and make a cup of tea in my flask, put on my crocs and head to Firestone Bay.

As I am walking from the carpark, I can see the light coming from the horizon, twinkling on the sea, the tide is high and the water looks calm. I know its going to be a good swim. I get to the beach, find a flat spot and take all my warm layers off (the hardest part, honestly!). I put on my sea shoes and gloves and walk into the water. The initial shock doesn’t hit me until I am waist deep and the cold water hits my belly button, then it’s time to go for it. The longer I stand there, the harder it’ll be to get in. So I plunge myself into the cold and begin to swim to the bouy. I can’t stop until I have settled my breathing, which takes about 30seconds. Then I am peacefully gliding through the water.

The sun is beginning to rise as I reach the bouy, so I float around and watch it come up. I can already feel it’s warmth on my face, which is good because I can now feel the cold in my toes! So I swim back to shore and hurriedly get changed before I lose all feeling in my fingers.

Wrapped up warm, I sit on the beach and watch the suns glow across the water, sipping my tea, feeling refreshed. That feeling will last for the rest of the morning, if not the day :)

A wholesome start to any day.

Field Trip

Exploring in the woods, doing positive psychology interventions in nature, and calling it work. YES PLEASE!

We had a great day.

I was so happy when Dr Lucy asked me to lead a field trip for her counselling and psychotherapy students that I got to planning straight away. The topic was Positive Psychology and using nature based interventions which was right up my street! I decided what interventions I thought would work best, choosing engaging, interactive ones so the students could really get hands on. Hands on they got!

I introduced myself to the students and gave them a bit of background into me and Flourish with Fox and then we all filled out Scales questionnaires to determine our mental wellbeing at that moment. 4 different scales were used including Ryffs Psychological Wellbeing scale and the Flourishing scale.

From there we walked from campus to Plymbridge. It was so pretty! The sun came out for us and the colours of the leaves were beautiful. A very Autumnal day! Our first stop, about 1 mile into the walk, was a clearing by a river under the trees. We took 5 mins to have a break and a I introduced the first intervention. 5/4/3/2/1. This is a grounding technique used for people with anxiety, but can also be used to centre yourself in times of stress or overwhelm. Connecting the bodies senses to nature to enable you to be present in yourself and the moment.

5 things you can see

4 things you can hear

3 things you can touch

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

Once we had spent 5/10mins completing this intervention, we continued on our walk into the woods. The path followed the river all the way to our next stop. I noticed people stopping on the way to enjoy the views, take pics and even feel the water on their hands and face. This was wholesome to witness.

Our next intervention involved getting creative, using nature to create a piece of art that represented how they were feeling in the moment or something that brought them joy. The designs they created were fabulous and each person shared their art with the group. This was a lovely moment as the students gave each other space to talk and share their feelings without judgement (some pics attached).

After lunch, we continued our walk before our final intervention and redoing of the scales questionnaires. Our last intervention was a gratitude intervention based on 3 good things. In a circle, we each went around and shared 3 good things from the day, focussing on the gratitude aspect. For example, I was grateful to Lucy for asking me to host this field trip, I was grateful to the students who came along and I was Grateful I got to call this work.

Before we headed back to campus the students took some photos to remind them of the day and give them prompts for reflection later on. I did the same thing, knowing I would want to look back on this.

On the walk back to campus we were delighted to see tons of Deer along the way peacefully laying around in the sun. This was great as we were now out of the woods but felt like we were still there.

I had lots of individual conversations with the students throughout the day. They were asking me questions and sharing their experiences and stories, it was great to hear their passions and excitement. A few of them even told me that this day had inspired them to get outside more or pick up a hobby they used to enjoy but no longer do. This was the icing on the cake for me, inspiring others to do things they’re passionate about and get outside in nature more!

I am very much looking forward to reading their feedback on the day and planning the next one!

Celebrate the small wins

I have had a week of small wins and being the excitable puppy in human form I am, I have shared these wins with my friends. They support my successes no matter how small and I enjoy sharing it with them.

In our fast paced world, it is easy to feel discouraged when progress is slow. However, positive psychology teaches us that every small step forward is still a step in the right direction. Embracing slow progress can cultivate resilience, patience and gratitude. When we shift our focus from the end goal to the journey itself, we can celebrate the incremental changes that lead to growth. Each small achievement builds our confidence and reinforces our motivation. Reflecting on our progress, no matter how minor, helps us to recognise the effort we’ve invested and the lessons we’ve learnt along the way.

Slow progress also allows for deeper reflection. It encourages us to savour our experiences and fosters a greater appreciation for the process. By acknowledging that growth takes time, we can create the mindset of self-compassion, reducing the pressure we place on ourselves to achieve immediate results.

It’s time to redefine success: it’s not just about reaching the finish line but about appreciating the path we take to get there. Celebrate your slow progress, and remember that every step forward is a win.

On this journey, we find not only our destination but our inner strengths.

Change is scary

Nobody likes change. We are creatures of habit and even the thought of change is scary and unnerving, it’s necessary, especially when it comes to growth and self-development.

In times of change I always think of Pocahontas (my life is basically a series of Disney quotes and quotes)

“ What I love most about rivers is
You can't step in the same river twice
The water's always changing, always flowing
But people, I guess, can't live like that
We all must pay a price
To be safe, we lose our chance of ever knowing”

When I decided to leave my job and go self-employed, it was not a decision I took lightly. Scared yes, excited… more so! I see it as a spectrum. You can either be nervous/scared or nervous/excited, I was the latter. There was, and still is, so much in the unknown. Will my ideas work? Will people use my services? Am I doing the right thing? I ask myself these questions almost daily and keep coming back to the same answer, who knows? What I do know however, is that if I don’t try i’ll never know the answers and for me that unknown is worse.

The thought of going to work for a corporate who take a massive cut from what I earn and squash my creativity because it doesn’t “fit standard protocol,” is enough to keep me working hard and driving forward with my ideas.

Yes, it’s scary. No, I don’t know what will happen or how it will turn out but I am willing to try and I will continue to focus on what I can control.

I am very grateful to those who are supporting me both professionally and personally and welcome anyone knew along for the ride.

Change is your friend, not your enemy. Embrace it.

Sunrise over the Sound

Sunrise from the water at Devils Point

Today I swapped out runs for buns! Cinnamon buns that is. Usually Friday mornings involve me delivering and joining in with a group cardio training session. Today was different. The weather is starting to change I wanted to make the most of the clear mornings and warm sea so I suggested (read made the executive decision) cancelling cardio and meeting by the sea for the sunrise, a sea swim and freshly baked cinnamon buns. Safe to say that was a hit with the group!

Mother Nature did not disappoint. The sky was clear, the harvest moon shining silvery in the sky. The dawn was breaking as we sat by the sea, talked about our intentions for the day and the week ahead and ate warm cinnamon buns :).

Getting in the sea is one of my favourite things to do and I love that I have built a community of people who also enjoy it, even if they didn’t think they would. Something about the sea brings a sense of calm and tranquility, which I thought was perfect for setting intentions and having meaningful conversations.

My intentions for today/this coming week were to work on the business and life admin, spend time with my family, and get at least one run in this weekend.

Wellness Weekend

What a beautiful weekend! The sun was shining, the sea was warm (ish, it was Cornwall after all), and the company was great!

Myself and 9 other women who I have had the pleasure of training in the gym the last few years took to Cornwall for a wholesome weekend retreat.

Each day started with a dip in the sea, or rather jumping waves and letting our inner child roam free, before a good stretch session on the beach. I cooked breakfast for everyone and each person took on a roll to help out, whether that was making cups of tea, doing the dishes or providing some background entertainment in the form of sharing experiences (read story telling with actions, lots of laughter, and occasional natural bodily functions).

After breakfast on day 1 some of us walked the 7.5mile coastal path to St Ives bay, whilst the others opted to drive (more time to relax on the beach with ice cream!) where we spent some time wondering around the town, watching street festival dancers and musicians and of course eating ice cream and other bakery treats. This was a wellness weekend after all and whats life without a little treat.

Day 2 was slightly more chilled, with lots of beach time. Some of the ladies are in a book club I run and were using this time to read this months book, whilst others read, napped, swam and walked along the long sandy beach before heading back for dinner.

The evenings were cosy, with duvets, dryrobes, jumpers, whatever we could find to snuggle up with on the sofa. Old movies were on the tele and a mixture of red wine and sleepy teas by the fire topped off the setting and encouraged us to unwind.

As a group, the ladies spent a lot of time over the weekend getting to know others within the group who they may not have met before. Community is something I pride myself on creating and this group is no exception. Empowering, supporting, sharing, encouraging and relaxing together, brought the group closer. Learning from each others experiences and expertise helped each one of us (me to, I always learn a lot from group interactions and listening to others experiences) to grow in some way.